And Lots of Other Things
by Renica Swavely
Summary: Yeah," Hatter laughed. "We could do pizza." Alice nodded, biting her tongue to keep from saying too much, "And lots of other things." A story about what happens after Hatter and Alice are reunited and what she meant by "lots of other things".
1. Chapter 1

_I finally know just what it means to let someone in, to see the side of me that no one knows or ever will. So if you're ever lost and find yourself alone, I'll search forever just to bring you home_ - Nickleback, I'd Come For You

**Chapter 1: I Guess I Do **

"I missed you," he breathed, kissing her again. She barely heard him. Her heart was beating so fast in her ears. She could feel the warmth of his hands through her top. Her hands slid up to his neck, feeling the slight stubble under his jawline. She had to stand on her tip-toes to reach him properly, but she didn't care. He was here. He had come through the Looking Glass. And this could only mean that he...

"A-hem!" Caroline cleared her throat rather loudly. Hatter jumped, as did Alice, but his hands remained on her hips and her eyes stared at him. "Would someone care to explain?"

Alice felt a hint of color come to her cheeks, but she couldn't look at her mother. Hatter raised his brows at her, making her smile. "This is David Maddigan," she started, motioning to him. Her mother nodded, arms still crossed over her chest. "He helped me in…" she stopped. How could she explain what had happened to her mother? She'd think she was mad. Alice laughed. Mad…like a hatter. The smile stayed on her lips as she made up a story. "He helped me at the dojo. David was one of the men working on the new addition we put on last year."

"Yes, but I was away," Hatter added, turning around. Caroline appeared to still be skeptical. He continued, "I was traveling around the world to learn alternative building methods."

"To become more sustainable," Alice inserted quickly.

"Right!" Hatter smiled brightly, "Damn sustainableness."

"How nice," Caroline remarked, stepping in between them. She took Alice by the arm and pulled her aside. Hatter turned away to give them privacy. He was fairly certain that he didn't want to hear what the woman was about to say. "Alice," she whispered. "What happened to Jack?" He felt a twinge in his chest as he overhead Caroline's question. Of course that would come up. He had to distract himself. He couldn't listen to this banter or he'd loose all his nerve.

"Jack and I never were going to work out, Mom."

"Just because he gave you that ring doesn't mean-,"

"Mom, that ring meant exactly what I thought it meant. I told Jack no. I couldn't marry him. I don't love him."

"So you and David-," Caroline began.

"Never got the chance we deserved," Alice finished for her mother, staring over at Hatter. He was looking around their apartment, a puzzled expression on his face. She suppressed another laugh. She knew he had to have dozens of questions. Her experience in Wonderland had been one curious question after another. She could only imagine what perils awaited "David" in this new life.

"So why didn't you mention him before?"

Alice paused. "There wasn't anything to mention before. We met at a tea shop through a mutual friend. He said he could help me and at that point I didn't have any other option, so I hired him for the job. I liked spending time with him. He's a good man and he has a great sense of humor. But at the end of the job he had plans lined up to travel so that was it." _Well it was partially true. _

"And you love David."

Alice's eyes went wide and she turned to look at her mother. "No!" Caroline smiled for the first time in the last five minutes and nodded to herself. "He's a great guy but..." she trailed off as she watched Hatter looking at himself in their mirror. He kept making faces at himself, not realizing that her mirror wasn't magical at all. She snorted in an attempt to hide her laughter. He turned around, seeing her watching him and stopped.

"But you love him," Caroline finished for her.

This time Alice didn't bother to deny it. "Yeah," she half-laughed, half-sighed. "I guess I do."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Just Trust Me**

_"If I took you for granted, I apologize for acting tough. You're my reason for living and there's no way I'm giving up." - Maroon 5, Back at Your Door_

"Guess you do what?" Hatter inquired, taking a step toward Alice and her mother.

"Guess I should show you around town," Alice smiled. "I'm sure a few things have changed since you've been here." She watched his face fall for a split second before he nodded. There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, which came out of nowhere. She felt the urge to touch him again, if only for a split second.

"Of course," Caroline interrupted. "After all, that dojo is almost five years old now." Alice moved to get her coat. She wanted to get out of her apartment now. She had to talk to Hatter. Was she wrong in assuming he was here for good? His life in Wonderland was important to him. She understood what he wanted to do there. How could she assume that he would give it all up in an instant for her? She had barely hesitated to leave Wonderland only hours before. "And when you're done, why don't you two come back here for dinner?" Alice stopped walking, turning to see Hatter's expression at these words.

Hatter's gaze shifted from Alice to her mother. "Great. Brilliant," he grinned, but Alice could see through the façade. He was holding something back. "

"I assume, Alice," her mother started, "that you will be bringing him home again?"

"Yes," Alice mumbled, wanting to kick her mother. Why did Caroline always have to bring up the fact that she was so bad with men? So she had had a few misfires in her past. Who didn't?

Oh," Hatter snapped his fingers, breaking her out of her reverie. "I brought you something." He walked past her to the door and retrieved a simple brown box from the corner. "Here." Alice pulled the lid off in one motion, revealing her purple coat.

The sight hit her harder than she expected. Tears welled up behind her eyes. She ran her fingers over the soft fabric. All that they had gone through, all that she had seen, it all came back in a series of seconds. She remembered how he had promised to take care of her and how he had rescued her from the Casino doctors. She thought about what he had risked by going against his closest allies to get her home and when he had faced off to Mad March.

"You don't like it," he stated. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"No," she breathed, fighting to keep her emotions in check. After a moment, she raised her eyes to meet his. "I love this coat."

He chuckled. "Oh. Bloody good then." She continued to look at him. "Um, guess we should," he motioned for her to spin around. Alice rotated around, as Hatter helped her put her coat on. "There," he smiled as she came around to face him again. He held out his hand. "Ah, shall we go?" She took his hand, smiling.

"Be safe you two! I don't want to take another trip to the hospital this week," Caroline called after them as they exited the apartment. Alice rolled her eyes as she pulled the door closed behind her. They entered the elevator and she pushed the button for the lobby.

"What's wrong with your mum? She's a lovely lady."

"She's curious."

"About?"

"You. Me. Us."

"Ah," Hatter's grinned widened as they got out of the elevator. "Well you know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat." She punched him in the arm. "Ouch!"

Alice led the way out of the apartment complex toward the center of the city. She took him past street side merchants who were selling flowers, little knick-knacks of the city, and newspaper stands. He took all of it in without a comment, simply looking and learning. No one passing by them on the street would suspect that they knew each other less than a week. For in love, what could time really matter when matters of the heart have no logic?

When they came to the corner of the street, Alice got an idea. "Wait here," she instructed him, running back over to the newspaper stand that they had just passed. She returned a moment later, holding two small tickets in her hand. Hatter didn't bother to ask and she savored the ability to keep her idea a surprise if only for a few minutes longer. She motioned for him to follow her. They crossed the street and took a sharp left turn down a narrow alley, coming out on the main strip. She stopped him at another corner, where a group of people were clustered together.

"In San Francisco, we don't have scarabs or flying flamingos. We have trolleys," she smiled.

"Trolleys," he repeated slowly, as if trying to decipher what kind of contraption she was referring to. He cupped his chin in his hand, thinking. Alice leaned against a light post watching him with an amused look on her face. "It sounds like fun." She smiled as one of the red metal vehicles pulled up. "An elevator?"

She laughed. "No this one doesn't go up and down, only forward and backward, on those tracks," she pointed to the metal lines in the macadam. Hatter squatted down on the curb, staring at the markings, as she handed their tickets to the conductor. She bit back her bottom lip to keep from laughing at him as he ran his finger across the metal, then tasted it. The conductor gave her two stubs back, eyeing her companion warily. "Hatter, let's go," she called.

He hopped up on the platform aside of her, without a second's hesitation. Alice pulled him by his sleeve over to a window seat so he could look out on the city. The trolley lurched forward and started to move. For a few minutes, he simply watched the floor and side panels, then with a sigh, "Ah, well. That's not as exciting at the ride to the Great Library, but it will do." He glanced at her with mischief in his eyes and she could see him joking.

They got off on Market Street, only a few blocks from the Golden Gate Bridge. Though Alice had only seen the Casino and the teashop, she imagined that Hatter knew what shopping was. They passed Sephora, a Four Seasons Hotel, amongst other famous places. Hatter took it all in, making faces at some of things and simply nodding at others. When they reached the Embarcadero Plaza, he was impressed by the view. She took him out to the dock to see the many shipyards and the bridge.

"We don't have anything like this in Wonderland," he said.

"Just lots of heights," Alice agreed.

After staring out on the landscape for several more minutes, they head back up Market Street to the ferry, when Hatter stopped. "What is a McDonalds?" he asked, stepping back from the gleaming golden arches. Alice half-laughed as she explained the concept of fast food. "It reminds me of the casino," he said, looking a bit shaken up.

"Well," she sighed, "some people here would agree that it's just as evil." She took his hand. "Come on." She took him through some back alleys and across a large street until they came out past a playground and in front of a brick building with a bright pink sign. "This is Hang Ah's Tea Room," she explained. "It's a bit of a dive, but they have the best spring rolls around."

"Huh?"

"I'll show you."

Hatter's first experience with Chinese food was a treat for both him and Alice, who was laughing more than she was eating. "Foo Goo?" he read out loud from the menu, staring unconvincingly at the pictures. He leaned closer to her. "You eat this?" When they had finished, Alice pulled out her wallet, knowing Hatter had no idea how to use the money. She thanked the owner and they got up to leave. They had to go down three flights of steps, which Hatter seemed reluctant to do.

"Do try to keep up," Alice teased as she opened the door at the bottom for him. Hatter dropped his head laughing, as he passed her.

Hatter slipped his hand over hers, taking her hand in his. "Oh I think I can handle your world, oyster."

"Really?" Alice scoffed in mock shock. "And why is that?"

"Well I told you, love. I have lots of connections."

"They are in Wonderland," she stated, dropping her volume on the last word. He smiled at how secretive she was about it. He doubted that any oyster would take the "fairytale" seriously.

"True, but some of them are extremely powerful." He dug into the pocket of his jacket with his free hand. "Like this one," he pulled out an envelope that was bursting at the seams. They stopped walking as he opened it to reveal a driver's license, birth certificate, social security card, passport, and several other papers, including wads of hundred dollar bills.

Alice's mouth hung slightly open as she took in the sight. Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. She had been so happy to see him, she hadn't even thought about the fact that he didn't exist in this world. "H-how?" she shook her head, not understanding.

"I called in a favor," he shrugged, wrapping the documents back up and stuffing them in his pocket. "Remember, I scratch their back and they-,"

"Scratch yours," she finished, still in awe. "This is…this is amazing," her face broke into a smile as she realized how permanent this made him. He was going to be here. He was going to stay. Without warning, she hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him. "This means your going to be here, in my world."

"Yes, love," he kissed the top of her head. "Come on," he said. "I want to show you something.

Alice raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"I know you think you've got me all figured out, but I've still got some tricks up my sleeve," he flashed her a sly grin. He took her hand and led her farther down the street. "Just trust me."

**A/N:** SyFy's Alice is available on DVD on March 2nd, 2010!


	3. The Deal

**Chapter 3: The Deal**

_"You came into my life and I thought, "Hey you know this could be something." Cause everything you do and words you say, you know that it all takes my breath away. And now I'm left with nothing. So maybe it's true that I can't live without you. And maybe two is better than one. But there's so much time to figure out the rest of my life and you've already got me coming undone." -_ Boys Like Girls

Hatter took Alice by the hand and led her farther down the street. They took the trolley back towards Alice's apartment. This time they stood on the back, Alice holding onto the railing and Hatter holding onto her. They watched the city as they moved up and down the various hills passing people, stores, and homes. When they reached the street where they had originally gotten on, Alice moved to hop off, but Hatter kept her from moving.

"Not yet," he stopped her. She stared at him quizzically, but he didn't give anything away.

They continued riding until they were about a mile away from her apartment. "Last stop," the trolley conductor announced. Hatter motioned for her to hop off and the two exited.

"This way," he walked slightly ahead of her, a smug grin on his face. Alice recognized this area of the city. While it wasn't the main strip where the clubs and exclusive restaurants were located, this area was equally in demand for its unique boutiques and alternative stores. Any property in this district was probably worth more than her entire apartment building and the dojo combined. That was why she was so stunned when they stopped in front of a dark shop window.

"Here we are," Hatter proudly spread his arms upward to direct her to the sign.

The sign read, "Robinson & Duckworth." The script used for the logo was medieval script and it was drawn on a banner that was sticking out of a steaming cup. It was a teashop. "This is yours?" Alice laughed, still not believing it.

"Yeah. Wanted to name it after our mutual friend, Charlie. After all, he did get us out of a pinch or two," he reminded her. Alice nodded, thinking back on the White Knight. He was crazy, but he was genuine. She didn't quite understand how the name of the shop connected to Charlie, but she didn't understand a lot of things about Wonderland, so she let it go. "Would you like to come in?"

He didn't wait for her to respond before taking a key out of his coat pocket and unlocking the front door. He held it open for her and she passed through the doorway. It was dark inside for only a moment, before Hatter flipped the light switch. Alice thought her eyes were playing tricks on her as she beheld the room in front of her. If she had ever doubted her trip to Wonderland, now was the test. It looked remarkably like Hatter's room from his original teashop, complete with grass floor and hat tree.

There were some differences. The white shelves along the back of the room weren't lined with chemistry bottles full of human emotion. Instead, they held large glass canisters that were filled with tea bags. Each one was labeled, but she couldn't read the fancy scrawl from where she was standing. The back door, she assumed, did not lead outside to a free falling ledge, but probably to an alleyway. The table that was situated by Hatter's desk was cluttered with paperwork or machines. Instead, it had an array of delicate teacups, saucers, and teapots, all of which were for sale. There was a large white hat tree off to the side of the desk with a collection of various hats, including the one Hatter had worn while she had been in Wonderland. Just as she was looking at it, he pulled an ash gray hat off the rod and stuck it on his head.

"That's better," he smiled contently to himself.

Alice noticed that on the grassy area in front of the desk were a few small round tables and chairs. In the middle of each was a pair of matching teacups on saucers, just waiting to be used. They were exceptionally clean, glistening in the light of the room. It looked too perfect to be real.

"H-how?" she managed to whisper.

He held up the envelope with his passport and other files. "Same way as I got my hands on these."

"Who gave you that?"

He looked uncomfortable. "A friend."

"A friend that I know?" she inquired, wondering what the big secret was.

Hatter took off his hat, twirling it on his finger, acting nonchalant. "Possibly."

Alice snatched the rim of the hat and held it off to the side. "Who?" she demanded.

"What does it matter? I'm here, aren't I? I came to your world to be with you."

That was when she noticed the mirror. It was off to the side, covered by a black satin cloth, but there was no denying that it was there. Alice felt her throat tighten as she beheld it. Such a simple object, but it had caused her so much heartache and grief. Hatter followed her gaze. "What is that doing here?" her voice came out harsh and raw.

"It isn't what you think."

She handed him his hat back as she passed him to walk over to it. With one swift motion, she yanked the curtain off of the mirror, revealing the reflective surface. For a moment, she only stared at it, contemplating. She was aware of Hatter watching her, silent and still. Holding her breath, she pressed her palm up against the surface. The mirror was cold but solid. Her hand didn't phase through it. She stepped back, confused.

"It was part of the deal," he sighed.

"What deal?"

"The deal I made with Jack so I could cross over and live here…with you."

"You made a deal with Jack!" Alice cried. "Jack Heart."

"Yes, what other Jack do you think I know?" he exclaimed. She looked down at the floor, then back up at him. He smacked himself mentally for yelling at her. "Look, can we talk about this? I brought you here to tell you every thing…to explain." She stood still where she was. He pulled out a chair by his desk, motioning for her to sit. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and sat down.

"Brilliant," he breathed.

"Speak," she snapped, arms crossed over her chest.

"Ok!" he jumped, startled by her tone. "I went back to the teashop after you went through the Looking Glass. I had nowhere else to go. Charlie was knighted and he wanted to stay with Jack. I….didn't. When I got back to the shop, it was trashed, ransacked from when Mad March went through looking for you." He took his hat off, sitting on the edge of the desk, facing her. "I didn't know what to do. All my connections, my leverage, all of it was gone. My contacts would know of my involvement in the downfall of the queen, but Wonderland was still unstable. Jack had the throne but he couldn't change everything back instantly. And then there was the problem of Dodo."

Alice's eyes rose to connect with his. "Did he come after you?"

"Tried."

"And?"

"I was already on my way back to the Casino. It took a while, mind you. I didn't have a horse anymore. They belonged to Charlie. While I was making camp that night I realized that it didn't matter that my home was gone. I was upset that my business was gone, but the emptiness wasn't from the loss of my possessions. More accurately put, I came to the conclusion that I was lacking something. You. Instead of asking Jack for my teashop back, I asked if there was a way that the Looking Glass could be used one more time. He told me that they were locking it away, along with the ring."

"So how did you-,"

He held up his hand to silence her. "I'm getting there." She nodded and he continued. "I had to show him how important it was. So I told him." She stared at him, expression blank. Hatter sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I told him that I love you and that I would live in your world and never see Wonderland again if I could have a second chance at a life with you."

Alice felt tears on the edges of her eyes. How could this man make her cry twice in one day? She rarely cried, even as a child. She swallowed, feeling a hard lump in her throat constrict. She couldn't speak, not now. She would break and he would know. He would be able to tell that though she wanted to be furious with him, she couldn't even manage a glare because she was so happy to hear him finally admit it – finally say that he loved her.

"What about the mirror?" She struggled to keep her voice even as she spoke.

"Like I said, it was part of our deal. Jack started up the mirror for me on one condition." Alice waited, holding her breath. She wasn't sure if she was going to like what came out of Hatter's mouth next, but she had to know what he had gotten himself in. "Jack made me take all of the stripped oyster emotions with me. There was no way to dispose of them in Wonderland. He wanted to get rid of them permanently as well as the mirror and the ring. That way they could never be used again and Wonderland would have to function as it did before the Queen of Hearts came to power."

"So where are the emotions now?"

Hatter gestured behind him to the jars of teabags, his head hung low. "Here."

"You are going to sell them?" she asked incredulously.

"Alice," Hatter moved to kneel down in front of her. "The emotions were infused in the tea leaves. There isn't even a full drop in each bag, just enough to give a little extra flare to the tea. It was my idea. Jack thought it would help me be successful here without any Wonderland involvement. Other than the paperwork he had completed for me to make me a citizen, I'm here on my own. This is my way of making a living. It's the only thing I know."

"But its tricking people. It's not real."

"They won't feel a thing. If someone is in a piss poor mood when they walk in that door," he pointed to the entrance, "they will still be unhappy after having a cup of cheer. They will just be less unhappy than before. I promise you, there is hardly enough in the tea to do anything to an oyster."

She opened her mouth to say something when her cell phone rang. "Hello? No, no of course not. We're on our way. We took the trolley. Yes, we'll be there. Ok. Love you too. Bye." She snapped the phone shut and tossed it back in her jacket pocket. "We're late for dinner."

"Right," he grinned, standing up.

"We'll talk about this later."

"Right," he groaned.

The walk back to Alice's apartment was silent. Hatter tried several times to make her laugh and lighten the mood. Each attempt failed. He wished that he had his hat. He had left it behind in the shop, thinking he would look more presentable to Alice's mother without it. Oysters had different fashion sense than people in Wonderland. He felt a bit naked without his hat. It had always been part of his identity, regardless of the name, and had proven to be a valuable distraction when he got in a tight situation.

They rounded the corner on her street. She charged ahead of him, a straight shot for the front door. He made a face that she didn't see and quickened his pace to keep the door from slamming shut on him. As he opened it, he spotted a figure in the reflection of the glass. A man in a suit stood across the street. Hatter turned quick to glance back at the gentleman, but no one was there. He moved the door about, watching the reflection, but there was nothing this time.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked.

"I thought I saw-," he looked behind him again. The sidewalk was bare. "Never mind," he sighed, entering the building. "Dinner!" he smiled brightly at her. She didn't say anything to him as she got into the elevator. He bit back his bottom lip and gave a little nod of his head before following suit.

The elevator rose upwards slowly after an initial jerking motion, which he wasn't quite prepared for. He swayed to one side before his shoulder collided with the left wall. Alice watched him with a gleam in her eye, but she didn't laugh. He sighed, staring intently at the floor. He had expected that she would be upset with him. He didn't know how long it would last or how many times she would yell, but he thought with time, she'd get used to the idea and they could move on. However, judging by her reaction at the shop, he doubted that she would be warming up the idea any time soon.

A bell chimed above their heads. The doors opened and Alice walked out. She didn't even wait to see if he would follow. She went right for the door of her apartment. The door was unlocked and open before he had even registered that they were on the correct floor. He took a deep breath and hurried inside before Caroline could notice his absence. But it didn't take Alice's mother long to notice that something was amiss with the couple. Alice did not offer to hang up his coat. She passed by both of them to go to her room. Caroline looked to Hatter, who shrugged tiredly.

"I wouldn't take it personally," Caroline told him as he put his coat on the hook by the front door. "She is very headstrong and temperamental. It tends to interfere with all her relationships."

"She told me that she didn't have a good record with men, when we first met," he agreed.

"It can't be helped, I suppose," Caroline mused. "Her father's disappearance hit her hard. She was just a child after all." Hatter nodded, not looking at her. He was watching the hallway, waiting for Alice to return. Caroline sensed his growing anxiety and broke the silence. "So, why does Alice call you Hatter?"

"Hmmm?"

"Your nickname. It's not something you hear very often."

"Oh, yeah. Right. Well it's what my friends call me because I'm always there when some passes the hat-"

"So to speak," Alice finished, reappearing at the edge of the room. Hatter didn't move. Her tone was flat, but not exactly angry. It was far from being happy, but maybe there was some progress. Maybe. He tried to smile at her. She ignored his facial expression. Maybe not. "Do you need any help with dinner?"

"No!" Caroline smiled, cheerfully. "I have everything ready. It's all in the oven keeping warm." She motioned over to the table where candles and cloth napkins were situated.

"Brilliant," Hatter grinned, trying to piggyback off of Alice's mother's happiness.

"I'll set the table," Alice stated, going to the kitchen.

"Bugger," he snapped.

Caroline gave him a sympathetic smile before following her daughter. She found Alice in the kitchen, slamming drawer after drawer shut. She was holding three sets of silverware in her hand, but still she kept going through the cabinets and drawers. "Alice?"

"Sorry what?"

"Are you ok? What happened between you and David? You were so happy this morning."

Alice put the silverware down on the counter and faced her mother. "If Dad was still around, if he did something that you didn't agree with but he honestly believed he had to, what would you do?"

"Did you two have a fight?"

"No. I just want to…well, kind of." She bit back her bottom lip. "Did Dad ever do anything that you didn't agree with?"

Caroline sat down on a bar stool by the counter. "Yes, of course. But that's how it is when you are married. You are still yourself, but you are yourself with another person. You have to know what battles to fight and what things aren't worth the bickering." She reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind Alice's ear. "Your father was a good man. He did some things that weren't always right, but he had the best intentions. That's what mattered most to me, that his heart was in the right place. He sacrificed a lot for us and for this family."

Alice nodded, sitting down next to her mother. "Hat-David is a good man."

"I know," Caroline smiled, laughing a bit. "I can tell. He cares about you a great deal. He was constantly pacing the halls at the hospital after they found you. I didn't know that you two had a history at that point. I thought he was just a concerned citizen. Eventually he had to go to work, but he stayed most of the night. That means something."

"Yeah," Alice let out a long breath. "You're right." She wasn't happy about the tea supply, but she had to look at it from Hatter's point of view. He had given up everything for her. He could have gone back to business and been a hero for helping defeat the queen. He would have had plenty of support from the rebellion after Dodo had gotten over the little shooting match. He loved Wonderland but he had left because of her. He had given up his business, his reputation, his friends, and his entire world to get a chance with her. She realized then that he hadn't been sure what would happen when he saw her again. He didn't know how she felt about him. He had given everything up on a hope. Suddenly, she felt the guilt settle in her stomach.

"You should talk to him." Caroline reached past her daughter to grab the silverware and left Alice alone in the kitchen. She thought for a moment about what to say. Apologizing didn't feel appropriate for the situation, but what else fit?

"Hatter?" she called as she came back out to the entryway. He was standing near the door, looking at the knob as if deciding whether or not to go. His head snapped up when she called his name. She opened her mouth to say sorry, but the words didn't come out. Instead, she moved towards him, wrapping her arms up and around him. She rested her head against his chest, feeling him move as he breathed under her touch. His hands slowly wove around her frame, causing her to be pushed up closer to him.

"I like your hugs," he said, closing his eyes as he savored the warmth of her next to him.

"Can we make a deal?" she asked, leaning back so she could look up at him.

"A deal?" he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

She swatted him. "Can we agree to be honest with each other about everything? No more secrets. No more hidden agendas. Just you and me."

He dropped his arms from around her and stepped back. Sticking out his hand, he said, "Deal." Alice smiled as she shook his hand. He closed his hand over hers, lifting her hand up to his lips and gave it a light kiss. She in turn raised herself to meet him and planted a kiss on the edge of his mouth, just as Caroline called them from the other room. "I like this deal."


	4. Safe

**Chapter Four: Safe**

_"You're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. You better look it over, before you make that leap. And you know I'm fine, but I hear those voices at night sometimes."_ - The Killers

Dinner had gone quite smoothly, after Alice had explained what it was they were eating and how it had been cooked. It was a vast improvement from the meal she had shared with Hatter and Charlie in the forest, but it had still puzzled him. The kitchen itself was a source of great confusion, as was the vacuum in the coat closet and the iPod dock in the entryway. He supposed that it would take some time for him to get used to things here in Alice's world, but it didn't help her mother's suspicions. He was going to have to create a more believable cover story.

"Alice?" Caroline 's voice drew him out of his thoughts. "I think that dish is clean now." Caroline mother was smiling at her daughter. He felt a warm sense of happiness seep through him.

Alice glanced down into her hands to see the plate from their dinner covered in suds and nothing else. She rinsed it off quickly and handed it over to him to dry. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About Daddy?" her mother asked, a knowing look in her eyes.

Hatter reached over and gave her arm a light squeeze. "Yeah," Alice managed a small smile at her mother. It was easier to lie about this one thing than try to explain where her mind was at. "It's just hard to let go of something after you've been through so much." She put her hand over Hatter's and gave him a squeeze back. He leaned over and kissed her temple lightly, before letting her go.

"It gets easier with time," Caroline replied. She didn't seem bothered by the obvious display of affection that had just occurred. After the entrance Hatter had made today when he entered their apartment, Alice wasn't sure what would upset her mother, but she didn't want to press her luck. "Do you two think you can handle the rest? It's past my bedtime."

"No problem! We've got it, Mrs. Hamilton."

"Thank you, David. Good night."

"Night, Mom," Alice said, watching her mother leave the room. She waited until she heard the bedroom door close before turning toward Hatter. "Where will you stay tonight?"

"At the tea shop," he answered with no hesitation.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

He paused. Before this afternoon, he would have sworn that it was. Jack had been extremely gracious in the amount of help he had given. The shop was everything Hatter had asked for and more. Each detail had been recreated perfectly and all of his oyster paperwork had been filed accordingly. The transition had been seamless. Except for the suit that had been eyeing him up outside of the shop prior to dinner. That small detail had him concerned that maybe there was more to Jack Heart's deal then he had originally thought. Maybe Alice was right.

"Absolutely!" He grinned. "There aren't any members of the White Rabbit here." He said it as convincingly as he could, but he could feel the unease growing inside. While the Queen was no longer the ruler of Wonderland, Jack hadn't had his official coronation yet. There was still time for the Resistance or another organization to come out of the shadows and cause an uprising.

Despite Jack's heavy involvement with the Resistance, not everyone had believed his motives were genuine. Dodo in particular had not been keen on the idea of the Queen's son succeeding her so soon after her ring had been taken from her. It did seem slightly sketchy from an outsider's perspective. Hatter's instincts told him that Jack was telling him the truth, but it wasn't easy to convince others that the prince was on the level. The people of Wonderland had been lied to and manipulated for so many years that it was hard to decipher what stories were realities and what things were designed by the Queen and her lackeys to keep everyone in order.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Alice asked. She was holding another plate out to him.

Hatter grabbed it from her hands quickly and dried it off. "Do you think I came all this way to ignore you?" He chuckled. "I have a tea shop to run, but I'm not going to let a pretty girl like you get away again."

"Oh really?" she grinned, stepping closer to him.

He leaned down to kiss her. Here in her world there were no interruptions. No Jack Heart. No Charlie. No Mad March. No body. It was just them. When his lips touched hers he felt the same release, the same rippling of pleasure throughout his body, as he had when they had shared their first kiss this morning. It had been a moment he had been anticipating the entire time they were in Wonderland, ever since Ratty had delivered her to him at the Tea Shop. There had been multiple windows of opportunity before now, but they had never been alone. They were constantly interrupted by their search for Jack, Charlie's crazy antics, or being chased down by any number of the Queen's men and/or the Jabberwocky. The pure ability to partake in the kiss now was just as delicious as he had imagined it. It was more intense than any drop of Passion or taste of Affection he had had in Wonderland.

The kiss deepened and intensified. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. Alice tucked her arms over his shoulders. Hatter started to kiss her neck, when she froze against him. "I think you should go," she whispered, pulling back. He searched her face, afraid he had gone too far too soon, but she didn't look upset. In fact, she looked flustered. Her cheeks were red and the color went up past her ears.

"I see how it is," he said, taking a step back and releasing her. "I'm too much of a man for you to handle."

Alice smacked his arm, but she was smiling again. "I'll come by the shop after I'm done work tomorrow."

"It's a date," he made a gesture like he was tipping his hat to her, even though he had forgotten his hat in Wonderland. She smiled again and followed him to the door. "See you tomorrow then." She nodded, still smiling and still red in her face. "Are we going to do pizza?"

"Sure," Alice laughed.

"Definitely a date then," he kissed her quickly and walked out the door. "Good night."

"Good night." She was still smiling at him as she closed the door.

He felt strange leaving her. Every time they parted something bad happened and it was only by sheer luck and chance that he had been able to find her and save her in time. Of course, in the end, she had been the Alice of Legend and she had saved them all. In comparison to his efforts what she had accomplished was much more valuable. It had changed the landscape of Wonderland again, just as the original Alice had. Things had not changed the way he had predicted they would. While the Queen was no longer in power and oyster hunts were no longer allowed by law, a new ruler had not been officially chosen and some emotions still remained in Wonderland. Until all of it was gone, there wouldn't be peace. The refugees in the Great Library would be freed, but what new breed of terror would be unleashed on Wonderland when the next ruler came into power? Who would become the refugees in hiding then?

Hatter didn't bother to take the trolley back to his new shop. He had too much to think about and far too much frustration to get out. Walking helped get his thoughts in line. He had been honest with Alice when he had explained his situation with Jack. The standing deal was the only way he could remain here in her world with her, while still helping the people of Wonderland. It was one of the only options left for him and probably the only safe one. Still, when he recalled how the expression on her face had changed when she saw the mirror, he realized how different her perspective was. Wonderland wasn't her home. It wasn't a place she felt connected to in the way he did. It was a world that had taken her father from her, along with her childhood. Wonderland had changed the Hatter as well.

Growing up in such an unstable land, he had learned from an early age that charisma and adaptation were two elements that would keep him alive. He couldn't remember his mother or his father. He had been about four when he first entered a tea shop. It had been run by an elderly gentleman named Treacle Dormouse. That day changed Hatter's life. He decided to take up tea as his trade. While he had been a mild-mannered teacher, Dormouse had a touch of narcolepsy, which made him an ineffective tea shop owner. In the beginning, Hatter had struggled to learn from Dormouse. It took three days just to get one lesson done, but by the time he was ten, he had learned how to grow herbs, infuse them, and brew the tea. At that time, they actually served real tea - plain, with no added emotions. And at that time Mad March wasn't an assassin, but his best friend.

Mad March had been an orphan of Wonderland too. He had been a desheveled brown-haired boy with a thin frame and dark doe eyes. If his two front teeth hadn't been so abnormally large and white, he would have been quite attractive, but his oversized overbite caused him to resemble more of a rabbit than a boy at times. His appearance was one of the reasons he had come to Dormouse. The tea shop was quite and out of the way. It was at the end of the forest. The nearest neighbors were a quarter of a day's journey from the front door. Mad March had gone through enough teasing and jokes about his teeth that he had left his schooling for a trade and tea had become his calling. Hatter had connected with him instantly.

Being a loner himself, Hatter had found friendship came easily between him and March. They had a lot in common and Dormouse trained them both to run the tea shop. Hatter had the back of the house, crunching numbers and concocting new herbal blends, while March took the helm at the front and sold the tea to the customers who travelled from all over Wonderland for the newest selections. On the days when Dormouse was too tired to come into the shop, the boys would close early and discuss their dreams of owning their own tea shop one day.

"We could be personal brewers to the White Queen," March had said once. "We could sell to the members of the royal court. Then we'd never been looked down on again."

Hatter had agreed. It was a win-win situation for them. So they had waited to come of age and they left Dormouse to work in the castle for the White Queen. There was more pressure on Hatter to come up with new flavors, ones worthy of royalty. March had thrived in the royal court. As he had predicted, no one mentioned his large front teeth while he was in the presence of the White Queen. He and Hatter were looked upon with high favor from her majesty and were treated with respect by everyone. Their tea products sold like clockwork. They attended parties and galas hosted by the members of the Royal Court each night. It seemed like they would never grow tired of their famed lives.

Looking back on it all, Hatter realized those days were centuries ago. Time and the rule of the Red Queen had tainted Mad March, as it had many others in Wonderland. Fear, desperation, and greed and turned many people into the worst versions of themselves. Hatter had hung on to his ideals. Dormouse had been a quiet, sleepy man but he had always taught Hatter more than how to create the perfect blend of tea. He had taught him how to be a man, how to always take in a trouble soul and nurture them with food and hope, how to see the good in all things, and how to leverage knowledge for power. While Dormouse had been a simple man, content to live out his days making and drinking tea, he was the closest thing Hatter had ever had to a father. His words had stayed with Hatter for years and he had been the reason Hatter had chosen to join up with the Resistance when the Red Queen came into power.

He pulled a key out from his coat pocket. His shop was only a block away now. He had been walking for over an hour. The memories of his youth were not ones he revisited very often. Those moments had brought him back and it took him until he got to his front door to feel like he was living in the present again. He unlocked the door, entering the shop without turning on the lights. He felt more at home in the dark, especially when he was alone and thinking heavily. Passing numerous shelves of tea, he padded across the grass carpet toward his glass closet. It wasn't until he turned to hang up his coat that he noticed something sitting in his chair. He shut the closet doors and flickered on the light.

Sitting in the middle of his white desk chair was his hat. He ran across the room to where the Looking Glass was propped up against the wall. He removed the cloth, scanning the frame and the glass carefully. It hadn't been moved or tampered with. He breathed a sigh of relief and unclenched his right fist. That was when he felt a familiar pair of eyes on him and heard a voice say, "Evening, Hatter."


End file.
